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December 05 I find this is very helpful for me,and want to share with other research students! 
Establishing a relationship with your supervisor
A good working relationship with your supervisor is essential since, at every stage, you need his or her professional input, constructive criticism, and general understanding. It therefore helps if the relationship gets off to a good start.
Good communication
Good communication with your supervisor based on mutual trust and respect is ideal. This develops over time, of course, but a good beginning is to talk about, and clearly establish, what each expects from the other. A friendly conversation along these lines certainly clarifies practical matters. But it also provides practice in communicating with one another. And, it is also the first step in getting to know each other.
The tone of the relationship
The tone of the relationship needs to be relaxed enough for you to be comfortable. Yet it also needs to be professional. An extremely friendly relationship may initially seem attractive and make you feel welcome. Yet, it may not withstand the later demands of robust, critical assessment of your work.
The other extreme, where the supervisor appears cold and distant and treats you as a researching automaton, and where you are afraid to speak or initiate the contact, is of course unwelcome and counterproductive.
A professional approach
The desired professional approach is where you are treated with respect-and you therefore feel safe enough to take risks and show ignorance-but also where your judgement is valued and sought. It is professional for both of you to be prepared to be accountable, and to plan a mutually agreeable working structure. Although you are expected to be taking responsibility for your own research and working independently, you also need to be prepared to consider, and not dismiss out of hand, advice or ideas put forward by your supervisor.
So…
Well, of course, supervisors are all different (as do students!) and there is no formula for all situations. But, whatever the situation, it remains true that good communication is the key to the relationship working satisfactorily. Remember that communication operates in two directions and it does require energy, attention and commitment.
If, despite all your efforts in the early stages to establish a good relationship, you feel that you can never work together, then try to change supervisors now before both of you invest time and emotional energy.
Supervisors’ expectations
Supervisors also have expectations of candidates. For example, they can reasonably expect students to:
- share responsibility for their progress
- make genuine attempts to meet mutually agreed objectives and deadlines
- accept constructive critique of their work in a positive manner and be willing to discuss issues
- raise any concerns they have with their supervisors
- comply with University policies, procedures and regulations
- access the services, resources and information that is available to support them, particularly the resources supervisors have recommended
expectation
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Working on an understanding of mutual expectations with your supervisor is an essential part of developing a good working relationship. Do this at the beginning. Some students have no idea what is reasonable to expect while others have what can only be called a wish list. What actually is the truth varies between supervisors and departments. However, expectations can be discussed under several broad headings.
- Practicalities: This includes such things as: provision of desk or room, equipment, computer facilities, conference funding, photocopying, secretarial or laboratory assistance. While important, these are easy to sort out. Most departments provide some support in this area and information is usually listed in departmental handbooks, publications for postgraduate students, or available from administrative officers or your supervisor.
- Intellectual support: You could reasonably expect what can be termed 'quality assurance'. By that we mean that your supervisor would probably have experience at both supervising and examining PhD students. This means she or he knows what standard your thesis should meet and can assess the feasibility of your plans. Your supervisor can also play the role of sounding board for your ideas. In initial stages this involves helping you find your way through the literature, guidance in topic formulation, help with research design, and robust comment on appropriate writing style. In later stages this support can change to become more of a discussion of your ideas, results, and theoretical framework. The relationship is often presented as one changing from that of master-apprentice to one of colleagues. In reality, the way it starts is often the way it finishes. A more satisfying relationship is one where both parties acknowledge from the start that they are potential colleagues.
- Emotional support: It is reasonable to expect that, while taking a needed critical approach to your work, your supervisor would nevertheless encourage you in your endeavours. A good supervisor would be expected to create an atmosphere where you are not frightened of asking questions, where you don't feel you have to be brilliant all the time, and in which you can even occasionally expose your ignorance. You need to feel safe. It is useful to remember that, at this stage of your academic life, your supervisor is not your assessor but someone who is in your corner. Your success is his or her success.
The framework in which this support happens varies but what you would expect is to have frequent, dedicated meetings with your supervisor. These are reasonable expectations but they do have to be negotiated and formally set up right from the beginning and then reviewed as needs change.
The other side of the coin is that your supervisor has reasonable expectations of you. These would include:
- that you are academically competent, can handle the theories and major concepts in your area, but will acknowledge and work on any weaknesses or acquire any necessary technical or research skills;
- that you are able to express yourself both orally and in writing. Remember, although part of your supervisor's role is to guide you in the use of appropriate discipline-specific language conventions, writing is still your responsibility.
- that you keep your supervisor informed about the progress of your work and whether you're facing any problems. Too often supervisors say "If only I'd known that (the experiments failed, you've run out of money, broken your leg)".
- that you can organise yourself, meet deadlines, and in general not need to be told what to do and be 'supervised' all the time. But … that you will ask for help if you need it.
In other words, you should be able to expect a professional supervisor, and your supervisor should be able to expect you to be professional also. This relationship is so important that it warrants time, thought and energy to keep it working.
| FEEDBACK
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It is a mistaken belief that you should do everything on your own. You need to seek feedback and use it. Unlike course work, the PhD program doesn't provide regular contact and communication with lecturers and tutors. It is often up to you to organise meetings with your supervisor and to ensure that you get regular feedback on your work.
Seeing your supervisor in passing, or even for longer periods in the lab, or having a polite conversation is not enough. Nor is it a good strategy to assume that, if the supervisor doesn't quiz you on your work, he or she is happy with it.
What you need is regular, dedicated time with your supervisor when your work is the focus and when you come with the agenda for the meeting.
At different times throughout your PhD, you will focus on different issues:
- at the beginning stages you will want to discuss your ideas, to 'try them on', to see if they will work, are feasible, etc. Here you need the experience of your supervisor and therefore his or her serious feedback on your proposals.
- during the middle years you will need to discuss the results you are beginning to get, what they mean, what is the best way to analyse them, and how you use this evidence for your argument. It is also the time when you are likely to discover that some things are not working and you need help to explore ways of overcoming the obstacles.
- at all stages of writing feedback is vital. No matter how many discussions you have had with your supervisor and how well you think everything is going, it is only through your written work that you and your supervisor can judge the progress and quality of your research.
Strategies for getting the best feedback possible
- Be prepared. Go to each meeting with things to report, even if you are reporting not much progress, and particular issues you want to discuss and questions you want to ask.
- Know what you want. When you are handing in a draft of anything you've written, decide at what level you're seeking feedback. You could specify that you need feedback on:
- general structure;
- the quality of the evidence you are using;
- the general flow of ideas;
- the appropriateness of writing style;
- the best arrangement of your data in tabular or graphic form.
This won't guarantee that you will get what you want. But it does give your supervisor or other reader something to focus on and is more likely to meet your needs.
Ask questions. The better the questions you ask, the better the feedback you get. For example, it is better to ask "Do you think the discussion of x fits better in section a or b?", rather than "Would you look at my writing?" Or you could say to your reader, "Don't bother at this stage with sentence structure, but tell me if the argument is logical and convincing."
Seek feedback from as many sources as possible. Your supervisor is not your only possible source of feedback. You could ask fellow students for specific feedback (and of course reciprocate when asked). You could also ask other scholars - although courtesy and common sense say you need to mention this to your supervisor.
Overcoming reluctance to seek feedback
Reluctance to seek feedback can stem from several reasons:
- Imposition on the supervisor. You may think that you are imposing on your supervisor because he or she is always very busy, is eminent in the field, or that you shouldn't bother him or her. The first step to overcoming this is to realise that providing supervision for you is part of their role and what they have agreed to do. If you are prepared and know what you want, you are making it easier for yourself and for them and 'imposing' less.
- Absence of supervisor. You may get sick and tired of trying to find mutually acceptable times and give up trying. If you're really convinced that you've made enough efforts, you either seek your feedback somewhere else or, if the situation gets really difficult, discuss it with your head of department.
- Doubts and insecurity about quality of your own work. This is a normal feeling with any creative work. Even if your most dreadful suspicions about your work are true, it is better to discover this right away. Accept that, to get the job done well, you have to deal with discussion of the weaknesses as well as the strengths of what you've done or are yet to do.
- Protecting yourself. Unfortunately, some people give only negative feedback and never mention what is good. Of course, they may assume you already know what is good and there is no need to talk about it. If you feel strong enough, you could try saying something like "O.K., we've talked about the problems with my work. Are there some good points you're happy with?" Otherwise, you'll have to search wider for more balanced feedback.
- Worthless feedback. If everything you do or write yields just a nod or a tick, then you need to ask specific questions to elicit more useful comments.
| DISAGREEMENT
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Disagreements are almost bound to happen in a relationship that lasts for three or more years. These disagreements arise in any area and differ in their degree of severity. What may seem to be the end of the universe to you may be perceived as only a minor hitch to your supervisor. Conversely, you may be going along happily while your supervisor seethes. More likely, however, you are both aware of a problem. Regardless of the situation it is always disruptive and can slow, or even halt, your progress. Whatever the problem, if you are sure that you haven't misinterpreted the situation, the first thing is to do something about it.
Here is a common situation and a possible way you could handle this and similar disagreements.
| The supervisor says that you don't have enough and you need to do a few more experiments. You don't agree because you feel that you definitely have enough and you're aware of time passing. |
You don't agree because you feel that you definitely have enough and you're aware of time passing.You have two options. You can decide to handle the disagreement on the spot or you could give yourself time to think about it.
Time to think and react.
You tell your supervisor that you need to think about it. This gives you time to think about what the supervisor said, to overcome your emotional response, and to prepare a comprehensive answer. It could even be helpful to write down your thoughts. There could be several possible outcomes of your next meeting with your supervisor:
- after a thorough discussion, your supervisor accepts your point of view.
- or you reach a compromise. You agree to do some but not all of what was originally asked of you to ensure your thesis reaches the required standards.
- or you reach total deadlock. From here you may decide that, even though you disagree, you will do what is asked because it is a trade off to preserve your relationship and to finish without too many hassles. Or you decide your reasons are strong enough and you don't want to give in. If further discussion doesn't resolve the situation it may be helpful to talk to someone else such as a fellow researcher, learning adviser, student union representative for postgraduates, or counsellor. If, as a result of all this discussion, you modify your position you should feel comfortable to return to your supervisor and talk it over again. It could be that your supervisor has been rethinking too. A new solution is found. On the other hand the deadlock persists and maybe now is the time to talk to the head of the department and even consider changing supervisors. It has to be remembered that this is a last resort and must be carefully considered.
Certainly disagreements can be uncomfortable. However it is very often the case that disagreements force a rethinking. This can improve the thesis - and indeed the relationship with the supervisor. It is important to remember at all stages of any disagreement with your supervisor to try to keep communication going.
Every university has an established procedures for dealing with grievances and problems that may occur during your candidature. Consult official university handbooks, postgraduate organisations, postgraduate student organiser, faculty committees on postgraduate students and student advisers if necessary. | |
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Your rights
One of your major rights is the right to good supervision. This would include:
- regular dedicated meetings with your supervisor to discuss the progress of your work;
- useful feedback on your work (feedback on conceptualising your research, formulating your topic, handling of data, writing up of your thesis);
- provision of an alternative supervisor in the absence of your main supervisor;
- encouragement and financial support to present your work in conferences and through publishing.
Your obligations
Along with your rights you have obligations, so you have to:
- comply with all university requirements and procedures;
- attend the university for seminars, tutorials, courses or for any other purpose required by your supervisor or head of department;
- submit regular progress reports as specified by your university;
- complete your study within a specified period of time.
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http://www.uq.edu.au/student-services/linkto/phdwriting/phlink30.html
Supervisors’ expectations
Supervisors also have expectations of candidates. For example, they can reasonably expect students to:
- share responsibility for their progress
- make genuine attempts to meet mutually agreed objectives and deadlines
- accept constructive critique of their work in a positive manner and be willing to discuss issues
- raise any concerns they have with their supervisors
- comply with University policies, procedures and regulations
- access the services, resources and information that is available to support them, particularly the resources supervisors have recommended
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